App uses Kinect technology to stop you running into things while on your phone

Currently in early-stage development, the app aims to alert you of your surroundings

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A new app currently in early-stage development aims to use Kinect technology to alert a device user of their surrounding to avoid running into oncoming objects

The app, called CrashAlert, uses a depth-sensing camera such as Kinect to take in a user's surroundings and alert them to any objects that may be in their way while they're busy looking at their screen.

Juan Hincapie-Ramos, a researcher at the University of Manitoba, has currently attached a Microsoft Kinect to the back of a 7-inch Acer tablet to work as a prototype for the technology he hopes to incorporate to the final app.

In his research paper, he states, "CrashAlert induced simpler corrective actions (i.e. dodging and slowing down) to avert possible collisons, providing users additional time and space for other more complex correction i.e. heads-up and full stops), and thus leading to safer walking."

The app aims to reduce the risk of life-threatening pedestrian collisonsby providing distance and location visual clues for the user.

According to Geekwire, Microsoft's Senior Advisor to the CEO Craig Mundie said during an interview, "My dream is to get Kinect embedded into the bezel of something like this (whilst holding up his Surface tablet)."